Updated 3/5/2021
COVID-19 has impacted us all, in one way or another. As we scroll our feeds, we’ve noticed most of us are practicing social distancing in an effort to help slow the spread of coronavirus, particularly as everyone around the world begins working from home.
At Snap Kitchen, we practice what we preach. We closed our headquarters offices, and a few of us have already gone a little stir-crazy! So, we figured we’d brainstorm a few ways to stay healthy and entertained during this time. And while grabbing hand sanitizer, washing your hands, social distancing, and disinfecting your home is one way to prep, we know from experience that the best medicine is a truly nourishing diet. (And we’ve got immunity-boosting tips for you here and here!)
As stress levels increase, so does the desire to eat. So here are a few of our best tips to stay healthy while staying home.
Meal prep, meal prep, meal prep
We can’t stress this enough: meal prepping is so key. Plan healthy meals ahead that can last in the fridge up to 4-5 days. Soups & stews, noodles, and rice are always great bases, but you want to make sure that you have a balanced mix of fats and protein in there as well, so you can stay fuller longer.
Here are a few of our favorite recipes that you cozy up with at home.
- 5-ingredient green chili stew – The Defined Dish
- Juicy indoor burgers with burger sauce – The Defined Dish
- Paleo Pad See Ew – Against All Grain
- Easy Chicken Lo Mein – I Heart Umami
- One-Skillet Chicken Parmesan – The Real Food RDs
- Instant Pot Balsamic Chicken – Living Loving Paleo
This will help you to keep a routine without getting annoyed at the prospect of another batch of dishes to clean. It’ll also keep you from giving up, grabbing a handful of snacks and counting it as dinner.
Ways to meal prep AND avoid cooking & cleaning entirely are out there. With Snap Kitchen, we never compromise on always fresh, never frozen, meals made ready for you. Order your meal plan today and have your food delivered to your door!
Add comfort foods into the mix
You’re going to want comfort foods, especially as stress levels (and thus, your cortisol levels) increase. So we encourage you to (literally) bake them into your meal plan and prep. If there are foods you enjoy, like rice or pasta, incorporate them alongside the veggies, protein, and healthy fats that you’re likely also prepping. We love mixing something that’s a little bit indulgent with the basics.
And, say it with us, THAT’S OKAY. There’s no such thing as a cheat meal; there’s no such thing as “good food” or “bad food”. It’s just food. And you can incorporate your comfort food favorites without having to feel guilty or make up for them later.
It’s nice to already have some comfort food recipes on hand or ready to go so you can go ahead and enjoy. No shame here!
While you’re at it, check out the healthy desserts on our menu:
- Snap Kitchen brownie – vegetarian, gluten-free, milk-free
- Snap Kitchen blondie – vegetarian, gluten-free, milk-free
- Hail Merry meyer lemon cups – vegan, gluten-free, milk-free
Not to mention, healthy comfort foods:
- Grass-fed beef lasagna – paleo, milk-free, gluten-free
- Turkey chili with beans – gluten-free
- Almond butter pancakes – vegetarian, milk-free, gluten-free
- Banana pancakes – paleo, vegetarian, milk-free, gluten-free
- Three sisters chili – vegetarian, gluten-free
- Cacio e pepe with rosemary chicken – gluten-free
Keep a designated office space
On top of all of this, your workplace is now your home. The place you used to go so you could destress is now the same environment where you take meetings and get work done.
For many that are WFH veterans, the main piece of advice is to create a designated “work area”. That’s an area you can leave and ignore for evenings and weekends while you relax with your partner, roommate, or family member. This will help you to physically isolate “work things” from the rest of your life so they don’t all end up blending together.
It’ll also keep you from just cruising over to the fridge to grab a snack throughout the day.
Schedule activities in the evening to prevent stress eating
People tend to shoo off emotional eating like it’s not a real thing, but we promise you, it’s very real. There are many triggers for emotional eating — your health, finances, relationship issues, and more.
And since the entire world is experiencing one pandemic at one time, that means health is on all of our minds every day.
By scheduling activities in the evenings, you can take your mind off of the stressors for just a little bit to give your mind and body some time to relax. This could look like:
- Going on evening walks
- Trying out virtual yoga
- Setting up a virtual therapy session
- Playing games, practicing puzzles
- Finding your creative outlet – painting, writing, creating in some way
- Practicing meditation
Whatever you do, it’s important not to end up staring at the news on your phone all night. Having said that, meet yourself where you are. Do what feels good for you at the moment. Sometimes that will be playing games or meditating, and other times that will be vegging out in front of the TV watching Netflix. Don’t judge yourself for seeking comfort during this time; we’re all responding to this unprecedented situation in our own way.
Looking for meal plans to get you through this season? You’ve come to the right place. Avoid cooking & cleaning this week and sign up for our meal plan today.
Leave a Reply
2 Comments
Hey Alyssa! Thanks for sharing this. With most of us facing a lockdown, it’s important to stay focused on remaining healthy. What you’ve mentioned about keeping a routine and avoiding stress eating is bang on. Even while working from home, it helps to wake up at the same time, bathe and get dressed. Facilities like indoor sauna or simple exercise equipment help to remain fit at home.
Thank you so much for sharing these tips and recipe inspiration! They are so helpful. and Thanks again for including me. I appreciate it. love Snap Kitchen!